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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939987">Not You’re Monster (Strength To Live Isn’t Scary)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYaoiChick/pseuds/TheYaoiChick'>TheYaoiChick</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Don't copy to another site, Gen, Introspection, Self-Worth Issues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:07:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,753</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939987</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYaoiChick/pseuds/TheYaoiChick</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Choppers point a view from the moment he meets the Strawhats until the point he leaves Drum Island.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Doctor Kureha &amp; Tony Tony Chopper, Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates &amp; Tony Tony Chopper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not You’re Monster (Strength To Live Isn’t Scary)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Humans were amazing. Scary... but <em>amazing</em>. Chopper never knew someone could care about another person so much as to climb a steep mountain that was <em>miles</em> high with nothing but his bear hands. With no protective gear, from either a fall nor from the cold. Holding the man with nothing but his teeth. Fingers broken down and cracked open from the death grib he would have <em>had</em> to have on the rocks surface. Half frozen through, teeth chattering so much that Chopper had barely understood him when he had begged Doctorine to save his companions. And all without even mentioning himself, despite the clear fact that he was hardly in good shape himself.</p>
<p>It reminded Chopper of Doctor Hiriluk. Who had done all he could for a reindeer he didn’t know, who everyone said was a <em>freak</em> and should just go and do everyone a favor and <em>die</em>. Who had <em>killed</em> him, and still had tried to protect him from the knowledge. Done all he could for the citizens of Dawn, despite the fact they were ever so cruel and mocking to him. Done all he could for a selfish and cruel king, who needlessly killed him just for defying orders no doctor who believes in helping people would have ever followed.</p>
<p>Like the Doctor... this man was one of those <em>rare</em> humans who went all in. Chopper didn’t know what to make of it yet. Not that it really mattered though. Once Doctorine healed up his friends -- with Chopper carefully out of view so he doesn’t risk being attacked and putting Doctorine in danger when she launched every weapon within reach of her at them attempting to protect him -- they would leave and everything would go back to normal.</p>
<p>At least, that’s how this was <em>supposed</em> to go.</p>
<p>The girl wasn’t supposed to be nice. Wasn’t supposed to see him at all, let alone gently correct him about his mistake with the wall. If anything, Chopper would have expected her to mock him about it. Well... no that’s not quite true. What he <em>really</em> would have expected was for her to scream. To throw things at him. To run away. To condemn him the way every one but the Doctor and Doctorine had.</p>
<p>At least the men had been... a bit more in line with what Chopper knew. Though he can’t say someone has ever tried to <em>eat</em> him before -- and his doctor mind was speeding because who eats raw meat anyway? That crazy guy was going to get sick doing that! -- but once they’d seen him transform and heard him angry, they knew exactly what he was. What everyone knew he was.</p>
<p>A monster. Something to be feared. Something to be hated. Something to be ignored. Something to be driven away. Something <em>different.</em></p>
<p>And then... A real monster shows up. Wapol had returned, after leaving his people to the mercy of those pirates. Only caring about himself, same as always. Chopper is honestly surprised he still has followers at all, since surely they had to know that he would sacrifice their lives for the slightest inconvenience. Wouldn’t even think about it, would probably <em>laugh</em> about it.</p>
<p>And for all that Chopper doesn’t want to hate anyone, doesn’t want that dark feeling to over take the love he <em>has</em> gotten that may have been little but oh so precious, he can’t help but <em>hate</em> Wapol. For killing Doctor Hiriluk. For abandoning Drum Island and it’s people, <em>his</em> people in their greatest hour of need. For needlessly killing people for either imagined slights or for his own twisted amusement.</p>
<p>For <em>dishonoring</em> Doctor Hiriluk’s flag <b>and</b> his dreams. Mocking it. Laughing at it as though it’s some childish rebellion against him instead of the hopes Hiriluk had poured his life’s work into. <b>Firing</b> at it, like it was a common eye sore that could so easily be disposed of. It made Chopper’s blood boil.</p>
<p>He never would have guessed it would make that rubber captain guys blood boil too. He didn’t even know who the flag <em>belonged</em> to, didn’t know the history or the hopes that was behind it. Didn’t seem to care. All he cared about was that there <em>was</em> hope behind it, that someone placed their life on it and that it <em>meant</em> something. That it wasn’t something for anyone else to judge. Chopper hadn’t heard talk like that since the Doctor had been alive. Hadn’t heard the <em>conviction</em> and determination in so long, he’d almost forgotten how awe inspiring it could be. Almost.</p>
<p>To then hear the mans friend, someone he risked his life to save, call him a monster made Chopper want to shudder. Because to hear that word directed at someone who risked so much for him only to have the man turn his back on him for his <em>strength</em> made something in Choppers heart break. It was almost funny, he didn’t think humans <em>could</em> break his heart anymore than they already had. Thought he’d put all that hope behind him, at least in regards to how they’d treat <em>each other</em>.</p>
<p>But then Chopper processed that the blond man had said it with a smile. And not even a malicious one, or disapproving one, or even a shaky one like he’d wear had he been the least bit scared. No, it was a giant <em>happy</em> smile. Satisfied even. Like being a monster could even be a <em>good</em> thing. Chopper didn’t know what to make of it. Had never seen anyone who said that word and make it sound like a complement instead of the most searing insult. He was coming to find though, that these pirates made no sense what so ever and that being confused was simply a by product of meeting them.</p>
<p>But he couldn’t afford to think about that now. There was still a fight to win, still a home to protect. And Chopper is <em>going</em> to win, if it’s the last thing he’ll ever do. And at least, just this once, he won’t be fighting alone. That rubber captain has his back, will defeat Wapol while Chopper deals with the underlings. This time, Chopper is going to <em>win</em>. And he’ll never have to see Wapol ever again, and Drum Island can find a new King. One who will treat it’s citizens right, and won’t run away when things get rough. One who can bring <em>peace</em> back to the Kingdom. It’s what the Doctor would want.</p>
<p>And in the end, they do win. The rubber captain sends Wapol <em>flying</em>, and with any luck he’ll land somewhere with no boats, no log pose's, never having heard of Drum Island to give him any direction to come back. With any luck, he’ll finally be gone for <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>Just when Chopper is thinking <em>now</em> things can go back to normal, the rubber captain asks him to <em>join</em> his <em>crew</em>. He actually wanted <b>Chopper</b> to join him out on the high seas. No matter that he’s a reindeer who could talk and transform. No matter that he has a blue nose. No matter that even though <em>he</em> doesn't think he’s scary, other people they come across will. Hell, one of his own crew mates is scared of him! Though... Chopper doesn’t really think he had much room to talk given he’d never seen a nose that long before, so that human couldn’t have been normal either.</p>
<p>So, no matter how much he would like to except his offer and to see all that the world has to offer, Chopper says no. He runs. He hides. He waits for the the rubber captain to get tired of chasing him. Waits for the rest of his crew to talk him out of it, to talk sense into about inviting a <em>monster</em> on board his ship. Waits for them to leave, and hopes that one day, maybe they’ll come back and he can ask the rubber captain to tell him about what he’s seen if Chopper can never see it for himself.</p>
<p>So why aren’t they <em>leaving</em>? The girl has been bartering with Doctorine for an hour now, to both get out of Doctorine’s usual payment and to leave before Doctorine says she’s completely healed. She should be making for their ship as fast as possible before she changes her mind. Chopper hopes she’ll be okay though, that infection was <em>serious</em> and if she didn’t give her body the proper rest she could go into a relapse fever. And their ship doesn't have a doctor! She wouldn't have anyone who would know what to do! But that was her decision to make, her life to risk even if Chopper didn’t like it.</p>
<p>Just like how he doesn’t like the fact they’re all just <em>standing</em> there out in the cold. If they were waiting for something couldn’t they at least do it inside where it was at least a little warmer? Or make a fire? Anything other than risking frost bite <em>again</em>?</p>
<p>So he comes out of hiding, goes to refuse one last time. Anything to try and get them out of this cold. They helped protect his home, he wanted to at least do that much for them. But the captain doesn’t even let him finish. Chopper wonders if he even bothered to listen. But... To hear again that he wants him to join. To see the smiles and encouraging nods from the rest of his crew. To know he’s <em>wanted</em>. Chokes up Choppers throat, and he couldn’t stop the tears if he tried. He was going to be a pirate!</p>
<p>Because while he doesn’t want to be a monster, <em>ever</em>, being strong enough to keep himself alive? Strong enough to protect his new friends? He wants that. Because that kind of strength? Isn’t scary at all. He could stand everyone else shying away from his transformations, so long as <em>they</em> never did. So long as <em>they</em> never looked at him with fear... Chopper thinks he would be okay. More than okay. He’s going to see the world, cure all the pains and illness he could, and look after and <em>be</em> looked after by his new friends.</p>
<p>And when he sees the beautiful Sakura tree as he leaves, he knows the Doctor and Doctorine are happy for him. Will look out for him. And after he’s seen the world, he knows they’ll be here waiting for him.</p>
<p>Chopper used to fear that after being kicked from his reindeer family, he would never have anyone else. He couldn't be happier to be proven wrong.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos, comments and bookmarks make my day 💙</p></blockquote></div></div>
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